Panel passes key education bill but turns down state Senate version
Author: Mediha Fejzagic DiMartino , Staff Writer
SACRAMENTO - The Assembly Committee on Education approved a bill on Wednesday that would make the state eligible for $700 million in federal grants, while at the same time it killed a state Senate version of the measure.
The two comprehensive and bipartisan bills contained reforms necessary for California to be eligible and competitive for federal Race to the Top grants, but the language between the two bills differs significantly in some areas.
U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan challenged California to do away with a 2006 law that prohibits the state from using student performance data in evaluating teachers.
In July, Duncan announced that states with such "firewalls" would be barred from vying for a share of the $4.3 billion federal fund - the largest competitive education fund in U.S. history - unless they changed their laws.
The committee on Wednesday approved Assembly Bill X5 8, authored by the committee's chairwoman, Julia Brownley, D-Santa Monica.
It is the Assembly version of the state Senate bill.
According to the California Teachers Association, Brownley's bill stands to improve the state's assessment and testing system by using multiple measures of student achievement, hence shrinking the achievement gap.
The bill also asks for greater fiscal and performance accountability for California's charter schools.
"We are a part of a historic event," said Daniel Walker, who was a designer of a San Bernardino charter school set to open next year who was in attendance. "We are changing the Education Code of California in a comprehensive way."
Also Wednesday, the committee defeated, but granted reconsideration for, the state Senate version of the measure, Senate Bill X5 1.
It failed to get a majority, with 6 yes votes, 5 in opposition and 6 absent or abstaining.
"Essentially, the bill was killed by silence," said state Sen. Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, one of the authors of the Senate bill.
She said she was "profoundly disappointed" by the vote.
The committee could reconvene as early as today to reconsider the bill. Among those not voting for the state Senate version were Wilmer Amina Carter, D-Rialto, and Jeff Miller, R-Corona.
The California State PTA backed the state Senate bill, co-authored by Sens. Bob Huff, R-Walnut, Elaine Alquist, D-Santa Clara, and Mark Wyland, R-Escondido.
The two comprehensive and bipartisan bills contained reforms necessary for California to be eligible and competitive for federal Race to the Top grants, but the language between the two bills differs significantly in some areas.
U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan challenged California to do away with a 2006 law that prohibits the state from using student performance data in evaluating teachers.
In July, Duncan announced that states with such "firewalls" would be barred from vying for a share of the $4.3 billion federal fund - the largest competitive education fund in U.S. history - unless they changed their laws.
The committee on Wednesday approved Assembly Bill X5 8, authored by the committee's chairwoman, Julia Brownley, D-Santa Monica.
It is the Assembly version of the state Senate bill.
According to the California Teachers Association, Brownley's bill stands to improve the state's assessment and testing system by using multiple measures of student achievement, hence shrinking the achievement gap.
The bill also asks for greater fiscal and performance accountability for California's charter schools.
"We are a part of a historic event," said Daniel Walker, who was a designer of a San Bernardino charter school set to open next year who was in attendance. "We are changing the Education Code of California in a comprehensive way."
Also Wednesday, the committee defeated, but granted reconsideration for, the state Senate version of the measure, Senate Bill X5 1.
It failed to get a majority, with 6 yes votes, 5 in opposition and 6 absent or abstaining.
"Essentially, the bill was killed by silence," said state Sen. Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, one of the authors of the Senate bill.
She said she was "profoundly disappointed" by the vote.
The committee could reconvene as early as today to reconsider the bill. Among those not voting for the state Senate version were Wilmer Amina Carter, D-Rialto, and Jeff Miller, R-Corona.
The California State PTA backed the state Senate bill, co-authored by Sens. Bob Huff, R-Walnut, Elaine Alquist, D-Santa Clara, and Mark Wyland, R-Escondido.
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